Jim Houser graduated from Davidson College (B.A.) and UNC-Chapel Hill Kenan-Flagler Business School (MBA).  He served overseas as a US Army Signal Corps First Lieutenant and Platoon Commander. His company owns 13 properties in the Carolinas and Austin, TX, consisting of free standing retail buildings, neighborhood shopping centers, retail land, and several historic buildings in Asheville, NC.

Prior to forming Compass Rose Associates, Inc. in 1995, Jim headed investment real estate sales for First Union Mortgage Corporation in Charlotte.  He was Vice President of Rubloff, Inc. in Atlanta from 1974 to 1989.  He served as President of the Georgia Chapter of CCIM’s and as a Director of the North Carolina CCIM Chapter.  He served as a Director of the Charlotte Region Commercial Board of Realtors.  He is a full member of the Urban Land Institute and is a member of the Small Scale Development Council. He is a member of the Charlotte District Council of the Urban Land Institute and served as Chairman of the Education Committee and member of the Executive Committee.  His Education Committee won two ULI national awards for its Public Sector Education Program.  He is a member of the International Council of Shopping Centers.